We’ve done a couple of these before and it’s a good way to discuss rising/falling stock and where prospects may land next April. While it’s still early days in the NFL season, we’re over the midway point in college football.
1 Jarvis Jones (DE/LB, Georgia)
He still hasn’t had that big performance in a key game, perhaps Florida on Sunday will be his opportunity? Jones remains an incredible athlete/pass rusher and he’s worthy of a top-five pick.
2 Chance Warmack (G, Alabama)
Perhaps the most NFL-ready non-running back prospect you’ll ever come across. Warmack does it all – powerful in the run game, superb in pass protection and athletic enough to pull and stunt. Day one starter.
3 Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers)
When you find a 6-6 receiver with Coleman’s frame, speed, catching ability and all-round skill set you have to put him this high. He has the potential to be a superstar.
4 Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama)
The complete cornerback prospect. Milliner has the recovery speed required to be an elite corner, he’s aggressive against the run and he has ideal size. Oh – and he makes big plays too.
5 Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M)
The best defensive end prospect in this class, Moore has exploded in the SEC. He fits into most schemes and he leads the NCAA for sacks with 9.5.
6 Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
Still the best quarterback prospect eligible for 2013 and worthy of a grade this high. He’d be an ideal fit for a team like Kansas City, San Francisco, Arizona and yes – Seattle – with a good supporting cast.
7 Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah)
Lotulelei has unlimited physical upside, he just needs to find a way to play with more consistency.
8 Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri)
The heart and soul of Missouri’s team. Richardson lives in the backfield and could make an excellent three-technique in the NFL.
9 Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame)
Celebrated prospect and rightly so. Te’o lacks the extreme athleticism of Luke Kuechly but he makes up for it with bigger plays on the field. A defensive coaches dream.
10 Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon)
You don’t see many 6-7 pass rush rushers who weigh 240lbs and play coverage. Jordan’s a unique talent.
11 Jonathan Cooper (G, North Carolina)
He’s only a notch below Warmack’s potential. Cooper is the most athletic guard I’ve seen and he specialises in pass protection.
12 Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia)
There are some serious character red flags but Ogletree is a safety/linebacker convert with untapped potential as a pass rusher.
13 Jonathan Banks (CB, Mississippi State)
Banks is having a great year. The Seahawks will probably like this guy – tall, physical and a turnover machine.
14 Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)
I’d like to see him re-gain lost weight from the summer because the player he reminded me of last year was J.J. Watt. Not so much in 2012.
15 C.J. Mosley (LB, Alabama)
I’ve liked this guy for a long time. Whenever you watch Alabama he just makes plays. Mosley will have an impact at the next level.
16 Matt Elam (S, Florida)
No other safety in college football impacts games like Elam at Florida. He finds ways to get involved and almost always has one big play.
17 Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU)
Athletic pass rusher who shows flashes of real quality. However, he also drifts in and out of games and hasn’t got amazing production on a good LSU team.
18 Robert Woods (WR, USC)
He’s not the biggest receiver but he just has a knack of making things happen. Draft him and feed him the ball. He won’t be an orthodox pass-catcher.
19 Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina)
Age is the only thing preventing Williams from being a top-15 pick. He’s a former JUCO transfer so approaching his mid-20’s. Great pass rushing tackle.
20 Marcus Lattimore (RB, South Carolina)
Lattimore has done more than enough to restore trust after his serious knee injury. Patient runner, not a burner, but he can be a work horse.
21 Jonathan Jenkins (DT, Georgia)
Nose tackle prospect who moves so well for a huge man. He’ll anchor a 3-4 defense for years to come and could be a top ten pick due to the value of the position.
22 Dallas Thomas (G, Tennessee)
They moved him to guard this year but he could play tackle at the next level. Tough guy who will succeed in the pro’s.
23 Tyler Wilson (QB, Arkansas)
Gun slinger who is suffering due to the turmoil at Arkansas. Height and slingy release is a concern, but not his athleticism or ability to make plays.
24 Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M)
Not necessarily the franchise left tackle-type that teams are always looking for, but he might be the best of the 2013 bunch.
25 Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
I like Geno Smith, I really do. But there are some issues – he holds onto the ball, the scheme is a prolific spread and he plays in spells. The last two weeks have been ugly.
26 Levine Toilolo (TE, Stanford)
He’s 6-8, 260lbs and makes 20+ yard plays and catches in the end zone. What’s not to like?
27 Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia)
He’s a flash of lightning – tremendous speed and Austin will be a playmaker as a receiver and a kick returner.
28 Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State)
Not just a quality linebacker but also a player who is capable of having that Ray Lewis effect as an individual. A leader of men.
28 John Simon (DE, Ohio State)
Effort pass rusher who never gives up. Capable of having the same impact as Ryan Kerrigan in Washington.
29 Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)
Nose tackle who relies on strength rather than size. Battering ram type lineman who also plays some snaps at full back in the red zone.
30 Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State)
Athletically Hankins is the complete package, but he runs hot and cold. At his best he’s a top-15 pick.
31 Sam Montgomery (DE, LSU)
Not quite as good as advertised as a pass rusher and may be better as an attacking linebacker.
32 Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)
More of a natural pass-catcher compared to Toilolo and a more orthodox tight end. Will need to flash at the combine to make the first round.
33 Jake Matthews (T, Texas A&M)
The other tackle at Texas A&M and a solid right tackle prospect at the next level.
34 Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn)
Lemonier exploded into the new season but has since fallen back into the pack. Definite top-40 value, though.
35 Kawann Short (DT, Purdue)
When he’s at his best he looks like a top-20 pick. First round skills and sometimes unstoppable. Hasn’t played well in big games this year.
36 Montee Ball (RB, Wisconsin)
He has tread on the tires but how can you not like this guy? The kind of player you want to root for. Can catch as well as he runs.
37 Keenan Allen (WR, California)
Big bodied receiver who is relying on the combine to impress. Rejected Alabama to play with his quarterback brother at Cal.
38 Ezekiel Ansah (DE, BYU)
He’s shot onto the radar in recent weeks. Can he step up the production and build off some national exposure?
39 Giovani Bernard (RB, North Carolina)
He’s having an amazing season, impacting every game and looking every bit a potential top-40 draft pick.
40 Taylor Lewan (T, Michigan)
Just a solid tackle, unspectacular. Positional value could push him higher up the board come April.
41 Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas)
Sparky little safety prospect. Looks like the kind of player the Patriots need to add to their secondary. Covers well, gets around the field.
42 Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
The #1 home run hitter eligible for 2013. Will he ever develop into a rounded receiver prospect? That’s the big question.
43 Cornellius Carradine (DE, Florida State)
The other pass rusher at FSU not named Bjoern Werner. Both players look superior to the injured Brandon Jenkins.
44 DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson)
He’s taken big steps this year and is out-shining even Sammy Watkins. Hopkins is rising quickly.
45 Chris Whaley (DT, Texas)
I’m not convinced he’ll declare but I really like this Texas defensive tackle who makes a lot of plays.
46 Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee)
Everyone is aware of Hunter’s potential, but he’s just not bringing it this year. The injured knee from last year can only be an excuse for so long.
47 Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame)
He’s having a really strong year as a receiver and a blocker. I’m just not convinced he’ll be enough of a difference maker to warrant first round consideration.
48 Brennan Williams (T, North Carolina)
He could end up rising up the boards very quickly as an athletic blind side blocker. His father used to play for the Seahawks.
49 Da’Rick Rogers (WR, Tennessee Tech)
This will all be about maturity. Can a team trust this guy? Undoubted quality he’s wasting with stupid decisions off the field.
50 Will Sutton (DT, Arizona State)
Sutton is probably going to transition to 3-4 end but it’s tough to ignore his 2012 season so far – 8.5 sacks playing at tackle.
Best of the rest
Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers), Terrance Williams (WR, Baylor), Oday Aboushi (T, Virginia), Le’veon Bell (RB, Michigan State), Alex Okafor (DE, Texas), Kevin Reddick (LB, North Carolina), Ed Lacy (RB, Alabama), Jordan Poyer (CB, Oregon State), T.J. McDonald (S, USC), Eric Reid (S, LSU), Jonathan Franklin (RB, UCLA), Shariff Floyd (DT, Florida), Barrett Jones (C, Alabama), Andre Ellington (RB, Clemson), Dion Sims (TE, Michigan State), Travis Long (Washington State), Baccari Rambo (S, Georgia)
Lack of quarterbacks?
Landry Jones has done nothing in two years of college football to suggest he warrants anything more than a mid-round grade at best. E.J. Manuel is more athlete than accomplished passer, while Aaron Murray has the necessary technique and smarts but lacks the physical qualities to be a high pick. Ryan Nassib at Syracuse looks like a prototype but is inconsistent. And hey – if Syracuse aren’t even going to attempt a forward pass in the first quarter against Connecticut, how good can he truly be?
I’m intrigued by Dion Sims…TE out of Michigan State. Is this the joker\pass catching TE that the hawks lack? Perhaps, it’s easy to get warm and fuzzy about him since he also plays\played(?) basketball at M. State. This was the route of T. Gonzalez and i think…A. Gates. It makes sense for the Seahawks to cut Z.Miller due not only to money concerns, but also performance(whether it’s his fault or not). I think they have been grooming A. McCoy the last two years with Miller’s inflated back end contract in mind. I still think the Seahawks pick 22-26 in the first, and if that ends up being the case, I would like to see them reach on Sims.
adog…
just was thinking about Sims. He’s definitely not a joker TE. He can definitely catch, but he is massive. 6’5″ 285 lbs. I love the idea of having him as a pure safety valve for a young QB. He’s a guy you would never have to take off the field.
Sims is a pure, all around TE that will suffer a slight fall in the draft (knuckle head past). He won’t test off the charts at the combine, but he has rare size and I think is the exact type of guy you want to give a young QB. He’s not a game breaker, but for a team that values the run game, he can block and be the ultimate 3rd down chain mover.
I see the Hawks jumping all over him in Round 2. Would be an amazing pick. Personal favorite of mine.
Pair him up with a Jordan Reed, and I think you have the makings of New England Lite at the TE position in the future, without having to invest a 1st round pick.
Yeah…i agree, i think TE is a position that the Seahawks need to invest some early draft picks. I would rather see them draft a TE or two in round 1-3 than a WR. I think that if Rice could stay healthy, he would be a good guy to hang onto, but i doubt he will. So the Hawks cut him, cut Miller, then move Tate to Rice’s position…which is a better fit for Tate anyways. Baldwin is a mixed bag right now with his health, we know he can play, but stay healthy? I think they sign a free agent WR, not Bowe, not Edwards, not Wallace, but more like maybe Jennings out of GB, or Simpson from the Vikes, or Amendola from the Rams…someone in the range of a number 2 or number 3 guy.
Rob-Excellent stuff & I have a few questions…
1) Jake Matthews…Do you think he would be under serious consideration of the Seahawks? Yes, it’s overkill and I think we’ve invested enough. That said, he has tremendous blood lines and is a true RT with great athleticism. Quite possibly a plug and play at RT. Do I like the idea? Not really, but I could see it happening. He opened my eyes against LSU.
2) How creative do you think this FO will get in the 2013? We saw the position switch with Sweazy, so what about drafting a guy like Jordan Reed and having a somewhat specific role. (RZ & 3rd down). Or possibly Dion Sims as a guy who is basically a massive target that is basically an undersized LT? To get crazier, what about a Dion Jordan pick and having him strictly as a pass rusher as well as some offensive snaps (yes, I am getting out there)? Perhaps an EJ Manuel who could transition to an H-back role. This question is quite schizophrenic, but I can’t help but think they might get really creative in this draft due to the roster filling in nicely and having no massive holes outside of WR.
Thanks Rob. Hopefully this is a fun response for you outside of the usual Barkley battles or RW questions! I am hoping we see an aggressive and creative approach with the 2013 draft in hopes of kick starting this offense.
Man, this is an extremely defense-heavy draft. It’s perhaps the deepest draft for defensive lineman I’ve seen in a LONG time. I really hope we can nab a DL (preferably a penetrating 3 Tech that this defense has been missing since Carroll has gotten here). In normal years, a Warren Sapp or Cortez Kennedy would go in the top 10. In this draft, a similar talent can drop into the teens or even early 20s due to depth. If not, hopefully a Coleman or Barkley will be there.
Alex
Good list , Rob.
Though I do find DJ Fluker to be criminally underrated and it just isn’t you.
I’m not a big fan of Fluker’s. He’s pretty much a bog standard college right tackle, so not sure how that is going to translate. As with nearly every RT in the NFL, he’s going to struggle when a team moves it’s best pass rusher to that side and he has no help. And teams now usually have two good DE’s and it’s making the RT position a bit of a problem. Unless you’re going to draft two franchise LT’s it’s something you kind of have to live with, have to protect that side a bit more.
Coming into the season I remember hearing Fluker could be a Top 5 pick. Were scouts and analysts just basing too much off his incredible size and the fact that he plays for Bama, or has he just regressed a lot this year?
I’ve always thought he played pretty nasty, and would not mind seeing him step in at RT at all.
Lazy scouting really… big name player on a big team. See it every single year.
Rob,
How does the overall quality of this draft look to you compared to years past? Maybe it’s just because I haven’t given them long enough to emerge, but 2012 seemed like a bit of a down year talent wise (outside of the 2 big QB’s) I mean I know Trent Richardson is a beast, but I have a hard time seeing him cracking the top 5 if he’d been with the 2011 crop.
In your opinion, is this draft closer to the bounty of 2011 or the barren wasteland that was 2009?
I think it’s probably unique to be honest Michael compared to the other years. There’s quite a lot of good depth with many more ‘first round’ graded players than last year. At this point 12 months ago I think I had about 10 players with first round grades. This year the total is closer to four times that amount. But what I will say is last year had greater star talent at the top – Luck, Griffin III, Kalil, Richardson, Claiborne – talents that would go in the top 5-10 most years. There probably isn’t going to be much between the guy who goes #1 overall next April and the guy who goes at #15. And the entire first round could be pretty close. It’s a good year for the Seahawks to finally post a winning record… so let’s hope they do.
Thanks Rob. Great year to be in the playoffs then! If they can take the ball away from the Lions a few times (is it really stealing when Stafford gives it away so willingly?) they got a great chance even on the road. a 5-3 record after that brutal first half schedule would be so sweet, especially knowing that all 3 division rivals will have to come to our house in the second half.
I wonder if the Seahawks long week + the Lions short week will have any effect. I mean Seattle has nearly twice as much time to physically recover and gameplan… Has anyone ever gathered any real data to prove or disprove the theories regarding short vs. long rest/prep time?
on second thought… after watching game 1 of the world series maybe I don’t want to know the answer…
I dont know if it’s my foolish optimism but would this be the kind of draft where we would like to see the Hawks trade back (depending how the season ends of course/needs) maybe if possible pick up a high round draft pick next year and maybe a second and third in the current draft. I know you can get burned trying to get too fancy but if we have no glaring needs come the end of the year why not look for angles. And its always a one sided strength of a draft when you see players go later and you wish you had the picks to move around.
I for one have my eye on that 6-8 tree from Stanford. Even though I like out TE’s and I know they have talent but they havent shown us much. Though once again everyone getting on the same page is when the best evaluations can be made
Great post as always Rob. It’s an exciting(and still unexpected :P) time to be a Hawk fan, and you bring the money day in and day out.